June 2002

Covered Bridge Site at the Little Doe River at Hampton

Finally, after a 10 year wait, I was able to get over to see and take photos of the remaining abutment from the covered thru bridge in Hampton. I just had never found anyone around to ask permission of when I was in Hampton. Plus there used to be a bull inside the fenced field where this landmark resides. I talked to the people that live in front of this abutment. The gentleman and his wife have lived in Hampton all their lives, and he had lived here in the same house all his life. They both said it was a shame when they tore down the bridge. They thought that it should have been kept for the historical significance. They both had caught the train on that embankment in the 40s and rode it into Elizabethton for a dime.

I also found out why this abutment was built so far back from the Little Doe River. It was because the river flooded so high. I guess a very small opening for the river would have caused the water to wash out the tracks. A testament to this is the fact that flooding on the Doe River never affected the track at this location. The abutment looks small in this photo, but realize that it is 9 feet from the base to the ledge where the bridge sat. The bridge was almost 120 feet long just to cross the Little Doe River that is normally only 12-15 feet wide and about 6 inches deep. More photos follow.